After reading David Kreutz’ Dec. 14 letter, “Race: It was not a factor in Marysville strike,” I jumped up without finishing my paper or coffee. I went swiftly to my computer to send this response.
Is Mr. Kreutz a person of color? If not, and I clearly suspect not from reading his letter, he would not (and does not) have a clue in the world whether or not racism is/was a factor in Marysville schools. As was so clearly addressed in the front page article of the same paper, “Arrest rate troubling.” Unless you yourself are a person of color, you have no idea what kids who are of color have to deal with in most of their communities.
My knowledge of this matter here in Marysville is as close to firsthand as a person can get without walking in the shoes. My 28-year-old son is a person of color and he, unfortunately, attended Marysville schools. You actually have to WWB, BMC or SWB – walk while black, be a black man on campus or try shopping while black to get the real feel for the problem. The article on arrests brought out the totally disproportionate number of black kids being arrested and locked up. Rick Jensen, a law enforcement official from Portland, was quoted as saying “It’s a white person’s problem, white people have a problem with people of color, so they lock them up – 2 million of them in prison.” By the way, Mr. Jensen is a middle aged white man. Hello!
Everywhere else but not here in Marysville? You gotta be kidding me! It is simply appalling to me that this treatment of our black youth (and adults) goes on unchecked. And here it is nearly 2004. Will there really be no end to these disgusting practices and beliefs?
Marysville
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